Rev Richard Coles: Finedon vicar solves stolen ornament mystery

The ornament was sent to Kettering police station with a note saying it had been stolen in 1986

A celebrity vicar turned amateur detective to help solve the mystery of a porcelain ornament that turned up 35 years after it was stolen.

Northamptonshire Police said the item was sent to them with a note saying it had been stolen from a family with the surname Collcutt in Finedon in 1986.

The Reverend Richard Coles replied to say the ornament would have belonged to former county coroner Mike Collcutt.

Police praised the "heart-warming" response to their social media post.

They said the ornament would be handed over to the original owner's family.

The force had put out an appeal on its social media channels on Wednesday morning.

Mr Coles, the former keyboard player in 1980s band The Communards and presenter of BBC Radio Four's Saturday Live, was one of several people to reply.

The Reverend Richard Coles replied to a police appeal on Twitter

The vicar of Finedon wrote on Twitter: "That would have been the late Mike Collcutt, county coroner, who lived at Isebrook Cottage.

"I was mates with his son Chris at school. I'll see if I can track down family members."

Moments later another user replied to say he was Mr Collcutt's grandson and had left police a message.

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Several other people, including other relatives of Mr Collcutt, replied to let police know the ornament would have belonged to him.

A police spokeswoman said: "The response to our appeal has been truly heart-warming and the officer in the case has now spoken to the daughter of the ornament owners.

"Sadly they have passed away, but we will be making arrangements to hand over the ornament to their family."